The best-misguided advice I ever got from Jack Dorsey
In the fall of 2013, I was a freshly minted YC alum. Having been the first Hispanic to ever complete Silicon Valley’s top accelerator, I felt equal parts pride and impostor syndrome. I talked about this to one of my investors, he kindly suggested chatting with a ‘friend CEO’, who also felt like an imposter at the beginning of his career. Who was that CEO? None other than Jack Doresy.
The best people to solve the diversity crisis in tech
In the fall of 2013, I was a freshly minted YC alum. Having been the first Hispanic to ever complete Silicon Valley’s top accelerator, I felt equal parts pride and impostor syndrome.
Brown Enough by Christopher Rivas
I recently had a chance to read Brown Enough by fellow dominicano Christopher Rivas. This memoir explores the complexities of identity and race in America through the lens of a first-generation Latino growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood.
What I did not know about making a first impression
In June 2005, I started my internship at UBS, while I was part of the SEO program. As part of our SEO training, we were each paired with a mentor. Mine was Juan, from Puerto Rico, who was a senior banker at UBS Investment Bank.
5 steps to fundraise without losing your mind_Pt 5
Step 5: Be formidable
So by now, you know how much money you need, you have your 60-second pitch locked, you have your deck on point, and you have your investor process game plan.
Look at life in decades not years
Today I turn 42. Feel blessed.🙏🏽
At age 12, I was selling guavas in my barrio in Santo Domingo. I immigrated to the U.S., but my parents were struggling financially, and we were on welfare, so I got a job at C-town packing groceries
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Excited to share some of the valuable entrepreneurship lessons that I've learned from The Alchemist. At its core, this book is all about following your dreams and pursuing your personal legend.
Without a doubt bu Surbhi Sarna
I had a chance to read the book "Without a Doubt," by my YC colleague Surbhi Sarna, and I was really blown away by the depth, vulnerability and authenticity in the book.
Why you need to burn bridges
May 2005, years before my dreams of entrepreneurship took off, I put in my notice at JFK airport. Two weeks later, I packed up my tools and walked out of the cockpit for the last time—after all this time, I was ready to officially break into Wall Street.
You should treat fundraising like a sport
During my tenure at our previous startup, we engaged with a whopping 144 investors prior to securing our series A funding. While I initially believed our journey was unique, I've since discovered that our experience aligns more closely with the norm.
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
The movie Air, the Nike story, is coming out next week. I just finished reading Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, the Nike founder, and it was an incredibly inspiring story.
YC Demo Day
The approaching YC Demo Day carries a sense of excitement and anticipation. Reflecting on August 2013, when I was fortunate to partake in this enchanting event for the first time, the bonds of camaraderie forged with fellow batch mates remain etched in my memory.
How to layoff people, the right way
Dealing with employee layoffs is a challenging task, especially within startups where teams often form close-knit communities. This was a hurdle I faced in my previous startup journey.
Always Dreaming Bigger with Elias Torres
In this guest post, Elias Torres—serial entrepreneur, community activist, and CTO and co-founder of Drift—shares one of the most important lessons he’s learned since immigrating to the United States: Be a curious learning machine.
Why Your Early Stage Startup Needs to Talk to Customers—Before It’s Too Late
How big of a leap of faith do your customers need to take for your early stage startup’s product thesis to be true?
Building Your MVP: How to Approach Early Adopters
Recruiting early adopters is different from selling to customers—and the mistake a lot of early founders make is confusing the two.
How To Build a Founding Team and—More Importantly—How Not To
The last thing you want for your founding team is a collection of skills and abilities that don't complement each other.